Wooden cutting boardsNothing beats the look and feel of a wooden cutting board. It has a traditional country aesthetic, is available in an array of display-worthy shapes and offers an awesome alternative to everyday serving platters.

1 Bamboo Hoshi,
Urban Barn, $12.
2 Oji Masanori small maple octagonal Kakudo,
Mjölk, $140.
3 On Our Table handfinished walnut Hole Slab Long,
Williams-Sonoma, $200.
4 Ironwood Gourmet acacia End Grain,
Home Outfitters, $20.
5 Sugar Mountain Woodworks walnut and cherry,
William Ashley China, $110.
6 Olive Wood,
Pimlico, $25.
7 Pine Vintage Numbered Taster,
Williams-Sonoma, $245 (per set of 3).
8 Oak Heritage,
Crate and Barrel, $120.
9 Antique pine,
Angus & Company, $315.
Jars and canistersKeep your pantry shelves clean and tidy by storing your staples in jars and
canisters instead of the bothersome bags and pesky packages they come in. Clear glass vessels allow you to incorporate the various textures and earthy colours of what you keep inside them – here, different coloured legumes and grains – into your
kitchen decor. Solid ceramic ones offer a streamlined hit of cream or white and keep their contents hidden. But we like a mix of both for that casual look that conjures images of a
French Country kitchen.
Dutch ovensGo dutch... and we don’t mean on your next date. Dutch ovens – casseroles in the United Kingdom, cocottes in France – are as much an
essential kitchen tool as a frying pan. And they have been since the 1700s when the British started importing them from, you guessed it, the Dutch. Enamelled cast iron ovens boast many benefits: They don’t absorb aromas and flavours with age, their non-stick surfaces are easy to clean, they’re superior for
slow cooking, and they can go from a hot oven or a simmering stovetop right to the centre of your set table. Which is exactly why we’re grateful for the rainbow of colours available to match our dishware and decor.
Salt and pepper shakersDon’t these remind you of the set at your favourite greasy spoon? Diner style salt and pepper shakers offer simple shapes in glass or stainless steel and are a chic, subtle way to add a hint of industrial edge to the table.

House tour: Bold and bright townhouse on a modest budget

House Tours

House tour: Bold and bright townhouse on a modest budget

Designer Orsi Panos gives this townhouse a colourful facelift on a modest budget.

"Bright and cheerful." That’s what the owner of this townhouse in Courtice, Ont., was searching for in a new home. Since her previous abode was older, larger and surrounded by mature trees, she was struck by this 1,400-square-foot space with large windows, a well-designed layout and plentiful natural light. However, at 10 years old, the home’s decor was dated, and its cheap builder-grade finishes weren’t holding up – aesthetically or otherwise.

"We kept some family heirlooms that meant a lot to her," Orsi explains. "And her extensive art collection was pared down to what looked great in the space." When shopping for new pieces, "the focus was on keeping things bright, fun and cheerful," says Orsi. "That’s when all the yellow accents came in. Yellow is the ultimate sunny hue." Gold and brass accessories also provide a warm glow, while a generous selection of other accent colours gives the entire place a vibrant, happy persona. "The homeowner is such a busy and interesting person – her home is now a true reflection of that."

House tour: Bold and bright townhouse

Complementing colours

The ikat-patterned fabric on the living room armchair was chosen for its complementary yellow, navy and grey colour scheme. The black bookcase has a grey interior and houses the TV and treasured books and objets. Designer Orsi Panos turned the book spines inward so their multi-hued jackets wouldn’t overwhelm the already colourful space.

House tour: Bold and bright townhouse

A needed makeover

"We started the project almost from the first day she looked at the house in 2014," says designer Orsi Panos. And as soon as the homeowner, a retired teacher, took possession, the makeover began. Since the existing floor plan was wonderfully functional, no major construction or structural changes were necessary. "We did what was needed to update the finishes," says Orsi.

House tour: Bold and bright townhouse

Bold pattern is the star

"The homeowner and I fell in love with this bold floral fabric for the banquette, so we decided to let it be the star of the kitchen’s eat-in area," says Orsi. The dining chairs, which she had refinished, were part of an old set.

House tour: Bold and bright townhouse

Bright, happy colour

Yellow chevron-patterned drapery brings a hit of bright, happy colour to the home’s living room. Because the space is an atypical size, Orsi opted to layer two rugs rather than splurge on a custom one.

Wine & Spirits

4 must-try classic cocktail recipes

Learn to make these tasty signature cocktails for your next holiday party.

You may not be a mixologist, but these signature drinks will have guests convinced you’ve been taking secret bartending lessons. Word to the wise: Leave the fancy bottle spins to the professionals.

1 The Welder

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Forty Creek Premium Barrel Select Whisky

1/2 oz Aperol

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz chili syrup

1 chili pepper, for garnish

Directions

Pour the whisky, Aperol, lemon juice and chili syrup into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled lowball glass and top with the chili pepper.

2 Brandy Crusta

Ingredients

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Granulated sugar, for garnish

2 oz Hennessy Very Special Cognac

Splash orange curaçao

Dash Angostura bitters

Peel of half a lemon, for garnish

Directions

Prepare a rock glass by moistening the rim with a touch of the lemon juice and dipping it in the sugar. Combine the cognac, curaçao, more lemon juice and the bitters in a shaker. Shake and strain into the glass. Add 1 ice cube and the lemon peel garnish.

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

House Tours

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Two sisters prepare for a holiday party that's anything but predictable. Because when it comes to Christmas, tropical is about as far from traditional as you can get.

There’s a first time for everything. Jeanette Seymour bought her first solo home four years ago, a two-bedroom Toronto rowhouse that looks transplanted from the streets of a quaint English village. But when it came time to host her first holiday soiree there last year, Jeanette, a kindergarten teacher, wanted it to seem like she’d decked her halls and dressed her dining room a dozen times before. “I planned to have friends over for cocktails, but I’d never really decorated my own house for Christmas,” she says. “I’d always celebrated at my parents’ place.”

Enter Jeanette’s sister, stylist and cookbook author Sasha Seymour, who helped her younger sibling come up with a plan and a holiday decor palette that would suit the 850-square-foot space. Though Jeanette’s place exudes English country charm on the outside, the interior is pure feminine glamour, from the mirror-clad walls and vintage oil paintings to the French doors and retro checkerboard-patterned bathroom floor. “It’s light and airy inside, so the last thing I wanted was to bring in the traditional deep reds or heavy tartans of Christmas,” says Jeanette. “They would have dominated my small space.”

Sasha’s suggestion? She would update Jeanette’s existing decor by creating a tropical foundation of turquoise, white and seagrass, then layering in juicy accents of coral and green – suitable for everyday, but amplified for the holidays.

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Fireplace mantel

Eucalpytus boughs adorn the fireplace mantel in the living room, enhancing the quiet still-life oil painting. "We used eucalyptus everywhere because it's not as heavy or as traditional as sprcue or fir," says Jeanette.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Dining room tree

Sasha brought a tall, slender Christmas tree into the dining room and wrapped its pot with robin's egg blue fabric for a clean look.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Brass for warmth

Patinated brass adds a warmth to the bar area atop a mirrored console in front of a mirrored wall.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Spirit of the holidays

"I wanted to capture the spirit of the holidays without the massive effort," says Jeanette.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Dining room makeover

While updating the all-white dining room for the holidays, Sasha gave it a mini makeover. For a punchy, party-ready look, she suggested coral drapery with graphic Greek key detailing on the leading edge and a valance for a polished vibe. Vinage white dining chairs were reupholstered with a bold green malachite print.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Eucalyptus wreath

In the bedroom, the fresh eucalyptus wreath hints at the holidays, but still blends with the decor, matching the sage green nightstand.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Vibrant decorative accents

The bottom shelf of the nightstand comes alive with brightly wrapped gifts that mirror the vibrant hues in the toss cushions on the bed.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Beth Hitchcock
Source: Donna Griffith

House tour: Bright and bohemian holiday

Freshening-up station

The bathroom dressing table, which once belonged to the Seymour sisters' grandmother, serves as a freshening-up station for guests, complete with clean towels, perfume and hand cream. Green and pink accents bring a preppy palette to the predominantly black and white space.